For Immediate Release
April 10, 2025
Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks Applauds Withdrawal of Kathleen Sgamma’s Nomination to be Director of the Bureau of Land Management
Group Urges the Administration to Nominate Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Leader Who Will Appropriately Balance the Needs of America’s Public Lands
Washington, DC — Moments before her confirmation hearing was set to begin, Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Chair Mike Lee (R-UT) announced that Kathleen Sgamma had withdrawn her nomination to lead the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). An oil and gas industry lobbyist, Sgamma’s had come under considerable criticism for her lack of ability to be a faithful steward of America’s public lands.
Emily Thompson, Executive Director of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks, issued the following statement:
“We are glad to see Kathleen Sgamma’s nomination to lead the Bureau of Land Management be withdrawn. Ms. Sgamma’s history of downplaying climate change and working with the fossil fuel industry to undermine the BLM and policies to protect America’s public lands made her unqualified to oversee the balanced use of our public lands. Weakening protections for public lands puts adjacent national parks and the health of our air, water, and irreplaceable natural and cultural resources at risk.
“We urge this Administration to put forward a new nominee who will appropriately balance the multiple uses for America’s public lands, including outdoor recreation and conservation.”
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The Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks represents over 4,000 current, former, and retired employees and volunteers of the National Park Service, with over 50,000 collective years of stewardship of America’s most precious natural and cultural resources. Recognized as the Voices of Experience, the Coalition educates, speaks, and acts for the preservation and protection of the National Park System, and mission-related programs of the National Park Service. More information can be found at https://protectnps.org